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Reports

UC Berkeley works to find solutions to global environmental, economic, and social challenges--inequality, climate change, food security, water shortages and more. We set goals, take action, and share our work.

The 2014 Sustainability Report shares the transformations and successes of the previous 12 months. The past year has brought several changes to the campus, with the expanded mission of the Office of Sustainability and Energy, new opportunities to craft energy policy for the campus, and new and additional staff working on important projects.

A couple of these changes are especially impactful. The carbon neutrality goal set by UC President Napolitano is one of these, as the thought of getting emissions to essentially zero is both empowering and daunting. Many on campus are already rethinking and retooling, with an eye toward meeting this challenge. A second item of note relates to the percentage of recent graduates (FY13-14) who took at least one sustainability course. That figure is now 29%, up from 26% just the year before. As more classes and related majors are developed, the campus may see even higher proportions in the coming years.

After compiling annual sustainability reports for the past six years, this year we are sharing a condensed version, which focuses on key highlights and updated metrics for the preceding year. We will reach out to stakeholders to gauge whether this approach of a limited annual report in alternate years offered enough value and transparency.

Sustainability Reports

2014 Energy Management Initiative Report

The Energy Management Initiative’s second full year of operations demonstrated continued success at reducing campus energy use. Total savings from all parts of the initiative reached $2.4 million and exceeded the target by 10%, while the project remained under budget. The Energy Incentive Program will return almost $1 million to campus units in incentive payments. This year, the Energy Office can document savings that are almost 50% greater than last year, and the Energy Use Policy was became effective in January 2014.

2013 Energy Management Initiative Report

Since the launch of EMI in April 2012, the project has achieved savings of $2 million – surpassing our planning estimates – and have done so while remaining 12% under budget. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff have been involved in EMI program efforts and the program has been presented at 16 state, national, or international higher education conferences.

IARU Green Guide for Universities

UC Berkeley is one of ten universities in the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU). Click to view and download the IARU's new green guide for universities, which addresses key areas of sustainability at universities, ranging from laboratory design to managerial and organizational aspects.